Washer and squeezer extractor



Sept. 22, 1953 M. w. BOWEN WASHER AND sQUEEzER ExTRAcToR Filed June 29, 1949 INVENToR. MYRoN w. BowEN Y WY//Quw ATTORNEY,

Patented Sept. 22, 1953 WASHER AND SQUEEZER IXTRMMXTOR Myron W. Bowen, Niles, Mich., assiglior, by mesne assignments, to Aveo Manufacturing Corporation, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application June 29, 1949, Serial No. 102,035

4 Claims.

` in a' cycle of operations, to, squeeze a major portion of the washing orlfrmsing liquid from the clothes contained therein.

Machines have been previously constructed employing a vacuum pump to withdraw the liquid and air from within a flexible container to create a'substantial vacuum therein, thus utilizing the pressure of the atmosphere to collapse the container and thereby squeeze the liquid out of the laundry. Such a device is shown in U. S. Patent .x

2,472,682 issuedl June 7, 1949.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a combined washer and vacuum squeezer extractor having means in combination to increase the extracting ability and efliciency, such means comprising a closed chamber surrounding the flexible ,container into which air under pressure is pumped in combination with mechanism for withdrawing liquid and air from inside the flexible container thereby increasing the available pressure on the outside of the flexible container substantially above that of the atmosphere, but because of the differential effect of reduced pressure inside working in combination with increased pressure on the outside, aL substantial squeezing of clothes is eiected Without excessive utside pressure.

It isa further object to provide the aforementioned means in a simple form of construction with a minimum of additional parts and control mechanisms.

It is a further object to provide in combination a means to release air pressures exceeding a predetermined amount.

Various features of my invention relate to:

Creating a vacuum or decrease in pressure within the collapsible container while simultaneously admitting air under pressure to a chamber surrounding said container, thereby effecting a substantial increase in the pressure differential between the inside and the outside of said'container.

A simple and light form of construction, only, is necessary to withstand the pressures needed in the new arrangement as compared to the heavy construction that would be needed in a machine, for example, using water under pressure on the outside of the collapsible container vas the only means of exerting pressure for extraction. Furthermore, air, since it is both cheap and clean, is particularly suitable for-the purpose in a combination mechanism withdrawing air from inside in combination with outside air pressure.

Other objects and features of novelty will become apparent from the following more detailed description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a combined washer and extractor of the type described showing the general arrangement and features of the present invention, including a sectionvthrough the pump chamber Afor removing air and water from inside the collapsible container.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the air-compressing pump chamber of the sliding-vane type used to supply air to the outside of the container.

Referring to Fig, l, the machine comprises a fiexibleair and water-tight tub I0 which may be made of rubber or other suitable material, and adapted to contain a washing liquid, and into which the clothes to be washed are placed. An agitator IIl is provided within the tub for imparting a washing action to the liquid and clothing contained therein, and a suitable transmission mechanism I2 is provided for oscillating admitting water to the tub I0 through an opening (not shown) in the lid I4 by way of a water admission tube I5. Since most plumbing-codes require an air gap to prevent Ycontaminated water from backing up in the line, such a gap is provided at I6 and separates the water admission tube I5 from an inlet hose I1 which leads from a suitable thermostatically controlled mixing valve, well known in the art and not shown.

An opening I8 is provided at the bottom of the tub I0 f or removing the washing liquid and air therefrom by means of a suitable pump I9 driven by a pulley 20 on a shaft 2l through a belt 22 from a drive motor 23. ',I'he pump I9 may be of suitable construction for handling both water and air such as a flexible vane pump as safety relief valve 30 mounted thereon which comprises a plunger 3| adapted to close an opening 32 in the wrapper 29, the plunger being loaded by a spring 33. This valve is provided to release pressures exceeding thatrrequired for safe and efiicient operation. y X

During a typical extraction period in acycle of operations, a washing or rinsing operation is nrst completed by action of the agitator on thej After clothes and liquid contained in tub III. washing vor rinsing is completed, the pump i9 is put in operation to pump the liquid and air, from the interior of the tub I0, thus creating a substantial' vacuum therein, whereby air pressure on the outside of the container causes the exible walls of the container or tub I to collapse around the clothes (substantially as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1), and squeeze them against the agitator, and causing a substantial amount of water to be extracted from them. In the present invention, the additional pump 26. (simultaneously operated with pump I9) forces compressed air into the chamber or wrapper 29, thus building up a substantial amount of pressure over and above that of the atmosphere, and thereby appreciably increasing -the extracting qualities of this type of machine.

In order to release the vacuum inside the tub l0 so that the lid I4 may be lifted and the clothes removed, a solenoid 34 in the electrical circuit is energized, which raises a plunger to which a valve seat 35 is attached, thereby clearing the water inlet opening in the lid I4 so that air may enter the tub I0, expanding it to its normal position against the wrapper 29 as shown. This particular type of vacuum release along with a combined water inlet is more particularly shown and described in co-pending application Serial No. 33,184, filing date June 15, 1948, now U. S. Patent No. 2,535,226.

.To release the pressure of the compressed air between the tub I0 and the wrapper 29, a solenoid 36 is energized, preferably at the same time as solenoid 34, by closing a switch 31 in the electrical circuit causing the plunger 3| to be pulled away from the opening 32 in the wrapper 29 against the bias of the spring 33 thereby allowing the air to escape.

It should be herenoted that if, at any time during an extraction period, the pressure inside the wrapper 23 exceeds that necessary for safe and eiiicient operation, the spring 33 will be come slightly compressed allowing the plunger 3| to be pushed away from the opening 32 so that the excess air pressure in the chamber between the wrapper and the tub will be allowed to escape.

While one embodiment pf my invention is here illustrated and described, it is not intended to be limited to that particular embodiment otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A washing machine comprising a exible f Niunber element to create a substantial vacuum therein.l

drivin.; means for said pump, a second pump operable simultaneously with said first pump for supplyingair under pressure hito said chamber surrounding said element to squeeze liquid from said laundry" by pressure exerted against the outer surface of said element, and driving means.

for said second pump.

2. A washing machine comprising a flexible liquid and airtight element, a closed chamber surrounding said element, said element having an opening through which laundry may be inserted and removed, an air-and watertight closure for said opening, means for agitating laundry within said element, said liquid and air tight element having side walls substantially wholly surrounding said laundry and said agitating means, a driven shaft and driving means therefor. a Dump on said driven shaft for withdrawing liquid and air from said element to create a substantial vacuum therein, and a second pump on said driven shaft for simultaneously supply- Lig air under pressure into said chamber surrounding said element to squeeze liquid from said laundry by pressure exerted against the outer surface of said element.

3. A washing machine comprising a flexible liquid and airtightelement, a Vclosed chamber surrounding said element, said element having an opening through which laundry may be inserted and removed, an air and watertight closure for seid opening, means for agitating laundry within said element, said liquid and airtight element having side walls substantially wholly surrounding said laundry and said agitating means, means for withdrawing the liquid and air from said element to create a substantial vacuum therein, means for simultaneously supplying air under pressure into said chamber surrounding said element to squeeze liquid from 'said laundry by pressure exerted against the outer surface of said element, and means mounted on said chamber to release the pressure in said chamber surrounding said element.

4. The combination as in claim 3 having means to release the vacuum inside said element.

MYRON w. BOWEN.

Name Date 597,716 HWaSS Jan. 25, 1898 1,372,190 Randall et al Mar. 22, 1921 1,531,924 Graham Mar. 31, 1925 2,178,385 Alward Oct. 31, 1939 2,449,634 Baade Sept. 2l, 1948 2,472,682 Rand June 7, 1949 2,562,533 Dunlap July 31, 1951 l FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 341,740 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1931 

